Joy, gratitude as health MEC launches cataract surgery drive
About 400 people from around Komani are set to have their eyesight restored or improved this week through a provincewide cataract surgery campaign.
This was announced by Eastern Cape health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth when she launched the drive on Wednesday at Frontier Hospital.
“I am over the moon with excitement,” Meth said, praising “the partnership that works”, led by the SA National Council for the Blind, the Eastern Cape Medics Unity Foundation, the African Eye Institute, Red Cross Air Mercy Service Trust, the SA Research Council, and new partners, the North End Foundation.
“We are here to eradicate the backlog in cataract services,” Meth said.
“We are running a cataract surgery blitz throughout the province.”
She said some patients would be having their second round of surgery.
She expressed her gratitude to doctor and staff who had worked tirelessly to help cataract patients to be able to see again.
Meth also applauded the clean state of the hospital she and her delegation observed during their ward walkabout.
Lewis Nzimande, from the SA National Council for the Blind, said: “In the whole country, we do not have a system that captures the backlog, but as people report their eye conditions at clinics and hospitals, we capture that on a database.”
He said SA had a backlog of 100,000 cataract patients, with 10,000 of them in the Eastern Cape.
He said people often ignored cataracts, which caused a white cloudiness which obscured their vision.
He urged people to seek medical treatment to have their sight improved or restored.
Nzimande said there was a shortage of resources.
“We understand, as partners, that the resources will never be enough to deal with cataract surgeries.
“The launch today is about amassing financial support and also to thank doctors who are bringing capacity to fight the backlogs.”
Zigwebile Gebenga, who received cataract surgery, said he was overjoyed at being able to see his children when he got home.
“I am grateful to the nurses and doctors for helping me with my second cataract surgery,” he said.
“They worked well and may God bless them.
“I did not feel any pain.” Nothozamile Ngxazana, who journeyed all the way from Cacadu and was waiting to go
into theatre, said: “This is my second time I am coming to have the surgery done.
“Today they will operate on my left eye.
“I am thankful to the
department of health because now I can work on my own in my house.”